candidate?
- Thread starter Gromit
- Start date
ok, so what about the mongoose and other cheap bikes at wal-mart? I understand that the components will need to be upgraded but I'm talking about the frames themselves. I've seen the 26" tiara mentioned on here as well, your thoughts and opinions please. Thank you, you veterins of cruzbikes! Craig
teacherbill
Well-Known Member
The Avalon from Walmart worked well. After you get the hang of riding for a while, then you can slowly start the upgrade pathway.
I guess it would be appropriate to attach a picture of my Avalon. Your, right, Jack, the Avalon is at the stores I've seen them here. Just ignore the motor if you must. I like it with and with out the motor, I must say I do like the engineering of Golden Eagle Bike Engine. Its got just enough power to help me over the hills and then I just peddle the rest of the way.
The Avalon lists shipping weight 42 lbs. The Polaris Scrambler claims 47 lbs. 5 more lbs does not rule out a motorized version. But I'd rather spend my 5 lbs on a lighter bike for best all around as you say, Jack. Like the crossbar a lot though. Wish I could remove some of the weight from that Polaris. Please don't recommend liposuction. I don't like the bike that much.
Heck that tool satchel tied to my seat post weighs that much.Once again; The picture of the Avalon on the internet ads is not the true picture of the Avalon. Mine is. The true configuration can be seen at Walmart stores.
WhiteSilvio
Well-Known Member
Hi Bob "Buyagain",
An aside on the picture of your Avalon (looks good bye the way!). What kind of rear light arrangement is that hung on the "fishing pole" out the back?
Is the light a requirement when you have "power-assist"?
Is the red light visible, by people coming the other way, from the front when you're riding? What does it do in the way of "flashing", anything?
Regards,
John R.
Doug Burton
Zen MBB Master
My experience has been that shipping weight is usually about 10 lbs. higher than the net weight of what's in the box sans shipping material. That being said, the shipping weight is very close to what your completed conversion will weigh!
The Scrambler's top tube looks a little high to me...
I think the Avalon is a great donor to start with. You can also peruse what Jack has built for good frame ideas...
Best,
Doug
The Scrambler's top tube looks a little high to me...
I think the Avalon is a great donor to start with. You can also peruse what Jack has built for good frame ideas...
Best,
Doug
Hi John;
I aim to increase my seat angle to somewhere around your Silvio before I'm through. Thanks for the complement.
The light is From Terra Lux. In Yankee land it sells at a company called Northern Tools for about 15 Yankee dollars. I hope you might find a vendor down under. It's for viewing in one direction though it can be seen quite well from the side.
http://www.terraluxcorp.com/terralux/Products/Portable/WorkLights/TLW36/tabid/92/Default.aspx
We are all surely in the midst of a World wide Light Emitting Diode revolution. (LED lighting) That is. :lol: I'm having a lot of fun searching for cheap and really long lasting "AA" and "AAA" LED lights for my bike. I'm getting such long runs on cheap batteries, I see no need to consider the more expensive Lithium ion types as of yet. The Terra Lux TLW-36 is sold as a portable drop or work light. Yes 30 or those diodes can be toggled to Flash or continuous plus the redish-amberish colored filter can be twisted on or off the diodes to flash red and yes it is very bright using 3 AA cells.
I understand Australia law is more strengient on motor assisted bikes but there is no particular lighting requirement in my State, Tennessee. As per any gas powered under say 50 cc engine sizes that is.
That pole is just an epoxied eye screw into an old steel tube I had laying around. Zip ties will configure the light base to hang off the eye screw.
I found another supper bright light to hang off my bike for around 15 bucks also. It will slide right into an eyeglass case providing the perfect shirt pocket clip allowing placement most anywhere on your bike. It has no flash but provides quite a flood of light. You might also read the review at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Designers-Edge-l-1198-Bright-Worklight/dp/B0015S86LG
If you can stand the long wait, I'm getting ridiculously cheap lighting from a place in China with free shipping. http://www.Kiadomain.com.
Regards
Bob
Hi Doug;
That good info about the weight of a bike, thanks. Saves a lot of head scratching.
Bigtrain;
The top bar on your latest candidate looks like 28 inches. Which seems to high.
ok guys, I'm about to give up on this little quest, but please bear with me and let me have your opinions on these bikes as a canidate for convertion. The first one is the Next Tiara pro, it's a womans bike (pink!) but I think the crossbar is about as low as it gets. Available at wal-mart for about 90 bucks.
Doug Burton
Zen MBB Master
Hi Bigtrain,
This is what the "walmart Tiara" looked like after I finished converting it for my son:
Now I got mine as a bare frame my Dad picked up from the flea market (he got 2 of them for $5), so I ended up putting lots of parts from my parts bin on it, and I converted it to 26" wheels.
The Tiara conerts very well and ends up with a good seat height. Several other customers have built them.
Let me know if you have any more specific questions.
Best,
Doug
This is what the "walmart Tiara" looked like after I finished converting it for my son:
Now I got mine as a bare frame my Dad picked up from the flea market (he got 2 of them for $5), so I ended up putting lots of parts from my parts bin on it, and I converted it to 26" wheels.
The Tiara conerts very well and ends up with a good seat height. Several other customers have built them.
Let me know if you have any more specific questions.
Best,
Doug
